The invention relates generally to the field of telephone communications and in particular to a method and apparatus for network maintenance and supervision of a local telephone agent providing controlled audio to a caller until detection of call completion or failure.
Bi-directional voice communication, where one party may select a second party for communication, is generally known as telephone communication. Telephone communication originated with a direct wire connection between the calling party, i.e. the call initiator, and the called party, i.e. the second party, and a switchboard system was developed to enable set up and tear down of connections between the calling party and the called party.
The switchboard system was replaced with automated switching systems, and voice communication developed into a world spanning interconnected set of voice networks. The term telephone, and telephone network, as used throughout this document includes both fixed telephones and mobile phones, as well as voice communication carried apart from dedicated voice networks, including without limitation voice communication carried by Voice over Internet protocol, irrespective as to whether one or more of the parties is communicating by telephone, computer or other device providing voice communication.
Different telephone networks have been seamlessly interconnected, allowing for telephone communication to be initiated from any voice capable station around the world, for connection to any other voice capable station. In most telephone communication systems, an initiating party enters some identification of the party to be called, i.e. the second party, and the telephone network associated with the initiating party begins to set up the call by first identifying the telephone network of the second party, in the event that the second party is not associated with the same telephone network, and then arranging a voice communication path in accordance with the appropriate protocols. Some method of signaling the second party is typically provided by the telephone network associated with the second party, and the second party may select to participate in the telephone communication by signaling a willingness to respond, such as by raising the telephone receiver or pressing the connect button on a mobile telephone. Upon signaling the willingness to respond, a telephone communication channel is typically designated, allowing for bi-directional voice communication.
From the time that the initiating party enters the identification of the party to be called until the telephone communication channel is actually designated there is a time lag. Historically, an audio ring back was provided by the telephone network associated with the called party, with the ring back signal being received at the initiating party telephone instrument and output by an audio output device, such as a speaker. The ring back signal provides audio confirmation that an attempt to access the called party was in progress.
The ring back signal was originally generated by the various telephone networks. Recently, various mobile telephone networks, and suppliers, have implemented personalized ring back tunes, wherein a called party's telephone sends a particular music selection as a ring back signal while signaling the called party. Significant revenue has been generated for the mobile telephone networks by the sales of these downloadable ring back tunes.
Companies such as NMS Communications of Framingham, Mass., have further introduced advertising ring back. Such a service enables a called party's telephone to transmit an advertisement as the ring back signal. Unfortunately, incoming calls are received on a seemingly random basis, with no ability for advertisers to target those receiving the advertisement ring back signal. All callers, irrespective of relevance to the advertiser's message, receive the advertisement when they call a telephone which has been signed up for the service.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,224,788 issued May 29, 2007 to Rhee et al., the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference, is addressed to a voice/text/image commercial information generating method and device operative while waiting for a communication channel to be established. The voice/text/image commercial information generating method and device is associated with one of the telephone network of the initiating telephone, and the telephone network of the called party.
Disadvantageously, in the event that commercial information is generated, no criteria are supplied to arrange for an appropriate advertising mix. In the absence of such an advertising mix, users will quickly tune out the advertisement, or arrange to have the service discontinued. It is interesting to note that Rhee provides for a ring back tone hearing mode, which effectively bypasses any such voice/text/image commercial information.